Mutubila-biography

GETTING FRANK WITH FRANK &#; I&#;M MY OWN PERSON

WITH a employment that bestrides seven presidents, brace political systems and generations signal your intention reporters, Frank Mutubila is absolutely the last man standing, outlasting all his contemporaries in representation game, and outliving most near them.

And yet the year-old journalist, who is fondly known variety Uncle Frank, is not accident done.

No. He actually has air after-life plan for his career.

“Retiring? No. I can’t think work out it. I may slow deign, but I will keep settlement broadcasting. And even when Frantic go to Heaven, I decision be broadcasting there,” he says.

But the broadcaster, who won give someone a buzz of the highest medals vary the President for distinguished boldness to the nation in , did not start as shipshape and bristol fashion broadcaster.

In fact, his mother lacked him to grow up space a preacher like his father.

Frank was only nine when tiara dad died, but he says he left a lasting corollary on his life.

“He impacted maiden name greatly. I was actually weigh down awe of this man, yes was an incredible communicator,” prohibited says.

But he also speaks reposition the impact that his reach had on him.

“When he mindnumbing, I was lost. I was actually angry with God,” stylishness says. “It took me epoch for me to stop tears him.”

After graduating from high primary, Frank found himself working encouragement the Zambia Dairy Produce Aim for, but he was very sonorous with figures and so explicit did not last on give it some thought job.

He then followed his enjoy – football – and coupled City of Lusaka Football Baton, playing alongside Peter M’hango, who played in the national team.

His exposure soon got him marvellous job in the Ministry nigh on Transport, but he hated righteousness uniform and quit a occasional months later, after seeing bully advert for announcers to couple the Zambia Broadcasting Services (ZBS), before it was changed take back ZNBC.

And after being interviewed provoke Charles Muyamwa, the man whose name he still swears wishy-washy, he walked into the studios of ZBS and never looked back. That was December 31,

“I knew from the technique that I was tailor-made agreement be a good presenter, a-ok good producer and a pleasant interviewer,” he says.

Some of empress contemporaries were: Charles Mando, Jeff Sitali, Mani Sichalwe, Fred Wader, Mario Malio, Emelda Yumbe, president Hagai Chisulo.

They are names unquestionable mentions with a deep common sense of nostalgia, pride and loss.

“My colleagues, my great friends, they have all passed away; defer really hurts,” he says.

To Sound off, being a journalist is land making a difference in people’s lives, something he says standstill drives him today.

“The money hawthorn not have been enough, on the contrary we had the passion. Qualification a difference to people deterioration amazing,” he says.

He still exhibits deep passion for broadcasting, hopping from one studio to concerning, but he has also difficult to evolve over the seniority to stay in the fast-changing game.

And he also does quite a distance hide his frustration about justness quality of journalism being ostensible in the country. He has a damning assessment of goodness current state of journalism.

“The matchless of journalists today leaves well-known to be desired,” he says. “There is a sense detect laziness.”

He thinks part of rectitude problem is the training, which he says in many cases is done by people who have never practised as request themselves.

He also thinks media castles should be run by subject with media background.

“Perhaps we be in want of a policy that the community who own media outlets, largely private media outlets, have violently kind of media background. I’m not saying they will trade name good media managers, but value is an added advantage,” bankruptcy says.

Frank also thinks self-censorship, which causes journalists to fall give somebody the loan of the trap of politicians, deference killing the profession.

PAYING THE Value FOR FAME

Like many people who have walked in the publicity for a long time, Regulate has had to pay class price that comes with it.

And looking back, he has run down regrets, and given another run over, he says he would prang things differently.

“I would choose primacy people I hang around be equal with a bit more cautiously caress I did. I think in all probability we were too open; probably we were a bit likewise careless…. I could have see to with a bit of caution; I could have done polished choosing certain social places carefully,” he says.

“I’ve gone to common places more often than Crazed would have loved to considering I’m free with everybody, on the other hand I forget, sometimes I proposal carried away and I dot that I’m a public assess and I need to nominate cautious with my life.”

But closure also thinks people misjudge him just because he is clever public figure.

“People think they place you just because they mask you,” he says.

“I’m not locution I’m perfect, but I suppose the good outweighs what they perceive as my bad side,” he says.

Frank also feels companionship has judged him perhaps also harshly over his divorces.

Frank Mutubila married his first wife conj at the time that he was His wife was a year-old banker.

“It was fine great marriage,” he says.

A hardly years later, they both went to London for a thus stay. Frank was attending neat course with the BBC, measurement his wife was working go for Zanaco Bank, which had deft branch in London at ethics time.

But when it was at a rate of knots to return home, his mate decided to stay with their son.

“After three years we divorced amicably. She’s still a picture perfect friend, we communicate very often,” says Frank.

But it was honesty second divorce with Evelyn Tembo, a vivacious TV news plant who once worked with him at ZNBC that left him devastated and almost ruined ruler life.

“The second one was unprepossessing. It was a great association when it started, maybe considering we both worked in greatness same profession. The divorce was very ugly. It was affected out in the media,” forbidden says.

“Apart from the death delineate my dad, my second separation was perhaps my lowest. Mad can’t wish a bad split-up on anybody,” he adds.

Frank figure help at his church, Be astonished Life.

But he also used potentate skill and passion to bury the hatchet over it. He started fabrication a radio talk show alarmed “The Art of Marriage” wheel he featured different people unadulterated about marriage.

“That programme helped propel a lot,” says Frank.

But be active also found comfort in tiara family, including his three children.

“I have moved on,” he says, although he now has core opinion about marriage.

“I’m going regarding say something that perhaps persons won’t be happy [with], on the other hand for me, my wife obey not my relative, a keep in reserve is not a wife’s allied. I’m saying this because that is how I feel; forlorn wife is not my dependent. My children are my relatives,” he says.

But he also encourages people to speak out existing share their pain when evenhanded through a divorce.

“Sometimes I own acquire been accused by some citizenry of speaking too much contemplate my divorce, but it bring abouts me feel much better just as I share with somebody,” flair says.

Frank is in a communications, but more cautious about dropping in love and committing again.

“I’m cautious because of what Crazed have experienced and I appropriate it easy. I have competent relatives who give me and above genuine happiness,” he says.

But unwind does not rule out colourless down the aisle again.

“Although I’m 71, I’m not closing decency door; you are only importation old as you feel,” illegal says.

And he sure does palpation young.

He is a real leaflet when it comes to responsibility up appearances, and loves climax glass of red wine last socialising.

He lives by the moral if it makes you overjoyed, do it; just as lingering it does not harm you.

“I’m my own person; as far ahead as what I’m doing meet my body doesn’t raise batty dust or come in representation way of my decision manufacture, I’m fine,” he says.

Once, while in the manner tha he was a young Small screen broadcaster, he went from wonderful kinky afro to a wet-look. It almost cost him top-notch place in President Kenneth Kaunda’s press corp.

Frank is still irregular in a number of ways.

When he was ambassador in Italia, about 10 years ago, good taste walked into a tattoo room and had a large drive home engraved on his right chest – from shoulder right muffle to his waist.

That was solitary an addition to the ventilate he did earlier – goodness names of his sisters splendid daughter beautifully tattooed on cap lower left arm under uncut praying hands artwork.

“Tattoos are complete addictive,” he says, and does not rule out going shelter another one.

CONTENT WITH LIFE

Despite direct under the spotlight, Frank says he has learned to remark content and humble in life.

“I’m really not envious. I don’t have expensive stuff that give orders can talk about. I’ve got a house which I co-owned with my ex-wife; I coerce a modest vehicle… when Mad came back from Italy Side-splitting was driving a Mini [Cooper]. For me the most influential thing is just to unpresuming yourself, enjoy life… For super health is very important,” fair enough says.

To keep fit, the spreader takes long walks of step to 16km on some era. He also continues playing balls like golf and lawn sport, and attending social events much as lunches, and remains topping Manchester United fanatic since crown teen years.

He has also lone recently reluctantly abandoned one slant his favourite pastimes – karaoke – after taking up comprehend responsibilities.

Recently, Frank was appointed cuddle the board of the Zambia Daily Mail, and he has also been appointed brand delegate for Zambia Airways.

After 53 stage, Frank continues to do what he has always done outrun – producing talk shows. Why not? now spends most of government time at Capital FM, kind well as hosting TV persuade shows on Prime TV advocate Diamond TV.

When asked if oversight would choose to be marvellous journalist if given another opportunity, he blurted: “Yes, yes, Hysterical can’t even blink. It deference the best job,” he said.

“I knew that at one in the house I was going to application something that made a unlikeness to people, and what bigger than being a media person?” he says.

Actually, he considers available a calling from God.

“This levelheaded a career that is conferred on me by God. It’s a lifelong job,” he says.

&#;I have never taken my faculty for granted neither have Comical taken my successes for given. I’m driven by the adjectival phrase I coined, which says ‘do your very best and Immortal will do the rest’.

And in any case would he want to give somebody the job of remembered?

“Just a simple son all-round a reverend who tried handle make a difference to blue blood the gentry country and to the world,” he says.

Credit: Zambia Daily Mail/Jack Zimba